


Unfinish Works & Deleted Scenes

by unassuming



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:28:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28223178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unassuming/pseuds/unassuming
Summary: These are not complete and likely never will be or they are scenes from fics I cut out
Kudos: 9





	1. Hwabyul- On Stage Teasing

Its simultaneously too much and not enough. The presence and lack thereof. Hyejin stands close, too close. Not close enough. Sweeping her hands through her hair, longer due to the dark extensions she wears. Byulyi wants to replace those hands with her own, wants to thread her fingers through the knotted strands, wants to yank and expose the delicate curve of her neck-

She’s distracted. More so than usual. Yongsun picks up on it, so attuned to her energy. She glances at her, veiled concern on her face. Byulyi shakes her head discreetly, going through the motions of the dance and preparing for her part. Hyejin’s voice cuts through the haze of the music and lights. Raspy, loud, dripping with sex appeal. Byulyi thinks she could spend lifetimes listening to her sing and it still wouldn’t satisfy her intense need to drown in the syllables rolling off her tongue. 

Afterwards Byulyi will take a long shower. Cold, to ward off any thoughts. She’ll go home, ignoring the throbbing between her legs and the images flashing in her head. Generous thighs bracketing hers and sharp fingernails teasing the skin below her collarbone- 

Hyejin wraps an arm around her, startling Byulyi out of the daydream. Her expression is the same one she wears for every performance. Its not Hyejin, whose calm and soft and poking fun at Byulyi’s greasiness. Its Hwasa, seductive lips and curving hips and eyes that see too much. 

Byulyi escapes her clutches and focuses on the energy of the crowd. Heated with chants of the members names, she indulges in the moment. They mean everything to her. Never in a million years would Byulyi be able to repay their fans. The support is overflowing and the happiness that radiates from the crowd fills her with a buzzing warmth. Shes sweat slicked and tired, but Yongsun is singing and Wheein is dancing and Hyejin has a smile on her face.

Its worth it. They're worth it.

But still she wonders. Wishes. 

Its selfish. Byulyi hates the feeling. Guilt twists low in her stomach and she makes an effort to avoid catching anyones eyes as they prepare to leave for the night. Doesn’t spare a glance at the tan skin on display, or the soft curve of Wheeins stomach. She avoids the hard lines of Yongsun’s abs and berates herself for wanting so much. 

Her breath catches in her throat when Yongsun grabs her wrist on the way out. Her leader’s eyes are knowing but, “I don’t want to spend the night alone again. Come home with me?”

Byulyi knows that Yongsun doesn’t need the company. But her lips lift in the best smile she can manage right now (which isn’t great) and piles into her car.

The silence is easy and Byulyi laments it. Spends more time wishing she wasn’t so easy to read. Wishing she could be more like her unnie. Both fierce and kind, funny and passionate. 

Neither gay nor hopelessly taken by their maknae.

Sleeping in Yongsun’s guest room is unusual. Most of the time Byulyi crashes on the couch or in the master bedroom with her teammate. Yongsun will act like shes more work than shes worth and Byulyi will wake up early to start breakfast (which Yongsun will take over the moment she smells for because 🔥 byul you need to add more- and no thats not how you do it-🔥

However the cold shower had done nothing to ease Byulyi’s frustrations and Yongsun is too tired to be much of a distraction tonight. Although Byulyi is beginning to suspect that Yongsun wasn’t trying to distract her. 

Her hands are gentle when they pry Byulyi’s fists open and something hammering inside her fights briefly. Byulyi relaxes into Yongsun’s arms and the leader soothes her hands down Byulyi’s back.

“Is she too much?”

The words are quiet, without the judgement Byulyi was expecting. 

“I wish it meant something.”

Yongsun presses a kiss to her forehead and Byulyi desperately tries not to think about different lips, pulled down in a pout, begging to be kissed.

She dreams of red lipstick. Painted on sinful lips, dragging across her jawline, down her neck. The insides of her thighs smeared with sticky residue. Red marks littering her hip bones. Low raspy moans and Byulyi’s fingers being held so tightly by wet heat of her and- “do I look pretty? I love how you look at me. Like I’m worth more than just my beauty. Like you can’t quite find the words to tell me that because you’re too busy staring”

Byulyi wakes up sweating and swearing. The clock reads 3am and her phone is buzzing on the edge of the bed.

Hyejin’s name flashes across it and Byulyi burrows herself further into the bed.

*** 794 ***

Dazzling.

Byulyi can’t think much beyond that one word. Hyejin is in the studio. Recording their latest comeback. Her notes are rich with emotion and they pull at Byulyi’s heart. She’s breathless at the sound of her voice, can barely hear the track playing because the pounding of her heart is louder than any drum.

Abruptly she stumbles out of the studio, running into the wall of the narrow (thankfully empty) hallway. She sucks in air, greedy for it. Byulyi’s hands are sweaty and she can feel lyrics itching to be written. About the lilt of Hyejin’s voice, the confidence in the music, the peace of the melody she weaves. 

An ache settles in her chest, right where her lungs should be. Yearning for the freedom of a normal life, a 🔥free🔥 life. Without the obligations the music industry brings. The spotlight on their group’s every move. The expectations placed on all of them. 

Sobs catch at the back of her throat and Byulyi panics because she can’t cry. Not now, not when anyone could find her and-

A firm grasp tugs her forward, off the wall that had been supporting all her weight. Byulyi stumbles into a soft body and suddenly shes in a room and her chest is heaving with the labor of breathing and-

“Byulyi breathe. Everything is going to be okay.”

Hyejin’s voice is gentle and her fingers are clutching at Byulyi’s shoulders. Her embrace is warm and Byulyi can feel the blush rise in her chest and the heat settle in her cheeks. Hyejin’s low words of assurance are whispered directly into her ear and she can feel the way the younger’s chest rises and falls with deliberate slow breaths-

Its then that Byulyi registers how close Hyejin is. Tense all over as the situation comes to clarity. Hyejin feels the way Byulyi goes rigid in her arms and pulls back, placing a finger under Byulyi’s chin to tilt her head up, forcing the eye contact and-

Shes breathless all over again. Hyejin has minimal makeup on and Byulyi briefly contemplates the taste of her lips without the lipstick in the way. They’re close, so close it would take almost no effort to connect their lips. Hyejin’s still, calm and collected and patient. She makes no move to leave even after she finds whatever it was she was looking for in Byulyi’s eyes. 

A slow smirk spreads across her lips and Hyejin leans in closer. “do I look pretty?”

Byulyi rears back with forced laughter. Squirming under the attention and the abrupt question, her mind flashing back to a dream-

Hyejin’s laugh is as beautiful as the rest of her. It encompasses the room and fills it with presence. Life stops and starts on the notes of her chuckle, full of youth and content. 

“What’s gotten into you unnie?” She grabs Byulyi’s forearm with one hand, covering her mouth with the other and no- Byulyi doesn't want that, wants to see the smile- 

She feels like freedom is sitting right in front of her, if only she were brave enough to take it.

***1312***

Wheein is laughing at her expression. Byulyi can’t blame her, she’s probably doing a great impression of a fish out of water. Thinks that the fans are rioting about this display Hyejin is giving them, giving her. Thinks that she could stand being laughed at if she could keep this memory ingrained in her memory for the rest of her life.

Hyejin’s not wearing much. The line of her shoulders is accentuated by the thin straps of her body arch suit. The jean shorts are short and the skin of her thighs glimmers in the concert lights. She’s approaching Byulyi, who is backing up desperately. Praying that the younger girl will have mercy on her. No such luck.

If she goes any further she’ll be offstage and with nowhere to go Byulyi is desperately trying to remember the lyrics to her rap before her brain completely shuts off. But Hyejin is turning and Byulyi thinks she is 🔥finally🔥 going to catch a break-

Really, she should know better when dealing with their fatal maknae.

Hyejin twists her body, presenting her alluring backside to Byulyi. Bends forward just so and rolls her hips and-

Byulyi sticks her hand out as if thats going to do anything. Her heart is racing and she can feel it high in her chest, beside the beat of the music, and low in her stomach, demanding and persistent and dammit. She really liked this pair of underwear.

Its not like this is the first time its happened. Nor does Byulyi believe it’ll be the last. She blinks. Memories of hands grabbing at her jacket, shoving it off her shoulders. Slim fingers grasping at her tie, pulling it apart, pulling her apart. She thinks of hands in her hair, hands trailing up her arms. Thinks of Hyejin advancing on her, pulling her close (wishing she wouldn’t let go). 

There are moments. Moments where Hyejin is Hwasa and Byulyi feels like another fan. Helpless to the desire that tugs in her gut when those hips sway. Thinks of Hyejin walking toward her, moving slowly but with purpose. Invading her space and glancing to their audience. Its a dangerous game she plays, allowing her so close. Where she can count the lashes on Hyejin’s eyes, real and fake. Can feel her breath and can smell her shampoo. 

That’s not even the hardest part. 

The hardest part is when its just Hyejin. Hwasa may be the character, dragging Byulyi to the point of no return. Flirting with her across the stage. Taunting her with hips that would fit so well in her hands, skin begging to be kissed by Byulyi’s mouth.

But Hyejin is the person she feels. Touching their foreheads together. Smiling without the bite of seduction, soft and caring and so attentive. Hyejin is the one that holds Byulyi tight, not just close. Who wraps her arms around Byulyi’s figure and leans into her, trusting her to catch if her she stumbles, to support her when she feels shy.

There’s nowhere to run from Hyejin. Not really. The maknae has Byulyi trapped and she wonders if the repercussions are worth it. 

In the end it doesn’t matter. She’s in too deep.

***

“You’re staring again.”

Byulyi snaps out of her trance, glancing around the room to make sure no one is paying attention to her besides the yeba to her right.

She smacks Yongsun’s arm none too gently, earning a yelp and a smack in return. Yongsun rolls her eyes and pouts, biting into another piece of her chocolate snack. 

Hyejin has her arms around Wheenin’s middle, face buried in the shorter girl’s hair. Wheein is talking to a camera, Byulyi can’t quite make it out but she’s not trying very hard anyway. Her focus is more on the way Hyejin’s arms rest against Wheein, fitting so well into her and Byulyi wants-

Yongsun hits her again. “If you stare any harder you’ll burn a hole in the side of her head.” The leader feeds Byulyi a chocolate stick, frowning without any bite. 

Wheein and Hyejin make their way to where their unnies are sitting. Wheein plops down in an arm chair across the table. Hyejin settles herself against the back of the couch on the floor. Byulyi can feel the heat radiating from her but theres still a sliver of space between them. 

“What were you guys talking about?” Wheein asks, glancing at Byulyi with knowing eyes. 

She wonders when she became so easy to read.

Byulyi picks up her food, just to have something to do with her hands. Hyejin leans against her, resting her chin on Byulyi’s knees and looking up at her unnie with big eyes. She’s twisting up a mouthful of noodles on her chopsticks, letting some of the sauce drip off. Hwasa opens her mouth and Byulyi carefully deposits the noodles, watching as Hyejin slurps down the food with a content sigh.

And she just looks so 🔥cute🔥 with a trickle of sauce at the corner of her mouth that Byulyi tilts her chin up, wiping carefully at the corner of Hyejin’s mouth. Mindful of the lipstick the younger girl is wearing, a vivid shade of red that Byulyi has imagined one too many times staining her neck after heated kisses-

“Get a room,” Wheein says good naturedly after Byulyi fails to pull her thumb away quickly enough, too enraptured by Hyejin’s mouth. 

Its not Byulyi’s brightest moment but Hyejin’s laughter rings out, low and clear. The unnie jolts back at Wheein’s words, dropping her chopsticks and knocking Yongsun’s snack from her hand. Byulyi thinks the embarrassment is worth it, would gladly embarrass herself a hundred times if it meant Hyejin’s laugh would follow.


	2. Hwabyul- Tattoo Shop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> writing-prompt-s (tumblr): you run a tattoo parlor and the same client comes in every couple of weeks requesting the same thing: an additional tally mark to their ever growing cluster
> 
> Or Hyejin just wants to know why this chick pays $100 in cash for a single tally mark

Thursdays are slow days.

Hyejin has been working at Cavalier Tattoos for almost five years now. The clients are good and she’s steadily building a name for herself across the globe. After being disowned by her parents for her sexuality, Hyejin realized she would need a change of scenery after high school. She packed her bags and moved to Oregon of all places. The mountains were pretty and the quiet was a good change of pace.

After the initial move, the panic had set in. Hyejin had worked at a small coffee shop in her hometown for her entire high school career. The pay and tips were enough to fund her move but she hated the idea of working that small kind of job for the rest of her life. College was out of the question as well; Hyejin had never liked school, never done well or cared enough to learn much.

Jobless and on her own, Hyejin had started trying anything and everything that would allow her to make money. While a college degree could be useful, Hyejin knew that there were plenty of jobs she could do without advanced math or perfect grammar. 

It just so happened that she fell in love with the arts.

Singing, dancing, drawing. Hyejin picked up a mic at a local bar and ended up with a part time gig singing. The setback was her schedule, which was only on Tuesday, Thursday, and the occasional weekend shift. Her voice was good, her stage presence was excellent, despite only having a mic and a stool, but there was more talent to be found and Hyejin didn’t think she would be any happier with a full time singing job.

Couldn’t imagine the kinds of comments people might make about her if she put herself out there like that.

While trying out different forms of stress relief, dancing was something Hyejin considered as a long time career. Not a choreographed but her dance instructor informed her that a back up dancer would afford her many opportunities to travel, see the world.

But there were girls who snickered in the back of the classroom when Hyejin wore the wrong outfit and there were boys who did more staring than dancing.

She wasn’t cut out for the spotlight.

She just wanted to express herself.

(it’s just hard when you have a sensitive soul)

Flash forward a couple more months. Hyejin is doodling on her tablet in a small corner cafe. Theres a girl who walks by her table on the way to the bathroom. She stops and glances down at Hyejin’s work. It’s just a simple flower, with elegant lines and fine dot work. Hyejin finds drawing is a good creative outlet, one she can’t be judged for since no one sees her work.

Until this nosy stranger.

Who without prompting says, “You should be a tattoo artist.”

And really, it shouldn’t be that simple. 

(it isn’t. it takes Hyejin a full year before she gets an apprenticeship and even then nothing could have prepared her for the difficulty of working with human flesh as opposed to the screen of her ipad)

But she is nothing if not determined and soon people begin requesting for her work by name. Except Hyejin is such a common name and the tattoo shop already has two of them so one day, when someone is pointing at her art on the wall and asking for that artist, Hyejin says-

“It’s my work. Hwasa.”

And that’s that.

Life is good. Work is good. Hyejin enjoys her clients and enjoys turning away the ones who leer at her when they stop in for a consultation. But Thursdays are still slow because it’s the day before Friday and people tend to work a little harder in the hopes that maybe they can get off a little earlier the next day.

Hyejin doesn’t mind slow days. But shes sitting at the front desk, bugging Wheein who has the best social skills out of everyone in the shop (which is the reason they hired an assistant for the front desk in the first place instead of just having the artists themselves switch out). Even with her astounding tolerance for slow people, irritable people, and hyper people, Wheein still has her limits and Hyejin thinks she’s found it.

So she spins around in the big chair. Kicks off the floor with the tips of her toes before quickly folding her legs into the chair and spinning for a few quick seconds. When she slows to almost a stop, she repeats the process. 

“Hyejin I swear to god-“ Wheein starts after the tenth minute of this.

The chime of their door interrupts her and Hyejin is spinning to fast to really see the stranger. She braces her hands on the desk, keeping her legs folded on the chair, and looks up. 

A woman is standing behind the counter, wearing a bright pink suit with bright orange hair. Hyejin would gag if she she thought it wouldn’t scare away a customer.

(she also actually pulls it off, not that Hyejin would ever admit that)

“If I want a small tattoo, right now, what would it cost?” 

Wheein blinks, looks over at Hyejin who is the only one not on lunch break.

Hyejin shrugs, “Depends, how small are we talking?”

“A tally mark, on my hip.” 

“Umm, are you sure you don’t want anything else? The time it’ll take to set up and fill out the paper work would easily outweigh the time it’ll take for that tattoo.” 

“If you’re okay with it, then I’ll pay whatever.”

She pushes away from the table and stands up, gesturing for the woman to follow. Her section in the tattoo parlor is in the back. Hyejin enjoys the privacy it provides. People can’t walk by and glance at her work.

After disinfecting everything, she picks up her gun, gesturing for the woman to lay on the table. 

“How long do you want it to be?” 

The woman blinks, as though she hasn’t given it much thought. Hyejin wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

“Inch and a half?”

She nods and goes through the standard cleaning procedure. The actual tattoo takes less than two minutes. Hyejin rubs some antibacterial soap on it, cleans it, and steps back. 

“You don’t need a covering for it since it’s so small. It should heal very quickly but here is a guide on how to clean it anyway. Although you probably only need to clean it for a week instead of two. Though it’s just a precaution since I’m confident you won’t even need the week. Just avoid letting the waistband of your pants rub against it.”

Handing her the pamphlet, Hyejin walks her out where Wheein gets her details and gives her their phone number in case she has any questions. When it’s time tonpay the woman slides over a hundred dollar bill.

“You really don’t need to pay that much. Half of it is probably fine.” Hyejin stammers.

The woman shrugs. “Is $50 not an acceptable tip?”

“It’s very generous given the size and time of the tattoo. Thank you.” Hyejin adds.

She beams and gives a small wave, taking her leave. It was weird for sure, and Wheein’s face of confusion is the only reason Hyejin knows she didn’t make up a fake client in her head.

Still not her weirdest client by a long shot. And three days later, Hyejin forgets all about it.

***

It’s exactly two weeks later when the woman makes her appearance again.


	3. Wheesa- Superhero AU

Part 1: an idea of sorts

There is something inherently selfless about loving a hero and being loved by that hero. For to be loved by a hero means understanding that you will never come first. A hero has a duty to the city they protect, to the people who look up to them. It’s a selfless act of sacrifice to be depended upon by millions of strangers, and an even great sacrifice to know that your life would not equate to those strangers, no matter the connection between you and your lover. Because for a hero to really be a hero, they must always be ready to make the decision for the greater good.

But to be loved by a villain is a brutal opposite. Because the villain of the story knows no bounds, has no laws. The things they value they hold dear, and when those things are taken there is nothing too small to exchange. The scales are widely unbalanced because a villain will burn the world down to ensure the safety of a loved one. It is an all encompassing sort of devotion that eerily resembles that which you find in churches. To love someone so fiercely, to put them above all else could mean the end of the world. And a villain would rather see the world’s end than a world without the person they love. 

Part 2: Hyejin’s fall

At the end of the day, Hyejin is who the public made her.

In a world that was too harsh, Hyejin felt herself suffocating. It should have been her decision. She should have been able to fight this. But nobody was coming to save her and she was all alone. Hyejin wonders if maybe it was always meant to be this way.

People with powers were not uncommon, which only made the world that scarier. Civilians were afraid constantly. Those with gifts held the fate of the world in their hands. To heal or destroy. Maybe Hyejin could understand the anger, an emotion so easily found with fear. They just wanted to be safe. Wanted to go to work without worrying if their goodbye was the last one they’d ever say to their family because someone with powers didn’t couldn’t save them in time. Or worse, were the cause of their demise.

Villains and heroes weren’t chosen by the public, not really. Vindictive people would discover their powers and mayhem would ensue. Someone with an affinity for giving would train hard after their powers came to light, believing in sharing their gift for the greater good.

Hyejin was four when her powers first manifested. 

Her mother is yelling at her father and the man is cowering away. It’s not unusual but Hyejin feels something clench in her chest and all of a sudden her mother is on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Their little girl, always so attuned to the moods of the room, burst into tears.

That’s how Hyejin’s uncle found them an hour later, all a sobbing mess on the floor. Hyejin remembers looking up at him through blurry eyes, the tightness in her chest feeling constricting, and he was brought to his knees.

Tears were forming in his eyes and he glanced up at little Hyejin, so hurt and confused and sad. And he reached out a hand, cupped her chubby cheek in his palm and brushed away a few of the endless tears with his thumb.

“You can be calm now child.” He told her.

And Hyejin had stopped. As had both her parents. They sat up, looking exhausted from exerting so much emotion they really didn’t have. 

Later that day her mother calls her a freak from behind closed doors.

Hyejin pushes down the grief in her chest.

Part 3: Wheein’s rise

When she is ten years old, Wheein holds her sister’s hand as they race down an alleyway and dodge about thirty bullets that most definitely should have hit the two children without cover.

But they don’t.

The men at the opening of the alley miss and miss and Wheein wants to sob because they left mommy and daddy but Yongsun had scooped up Wheein when the men came and-

She didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye.

Wheein starts wailing when she thinks about her parents in the house. Mommy who sometimes had bad breath that reminded her of the smell from the bottles Wheein found under a floorboard. Daddy who slept on the couch instead of in the master bedroom and spent all day in town instead of at the job Mommy thought he had.

But Mommy and Daddy who held her when she scraped her knee and sang her happy birthday and tried to hide the letters in the mail with words Wheein didn’t quite understand that were underlined in red ink.

Briefly, Wheein wishes her and Yongsun could just go home.

A truck hits the men firing bullets at them.

Yongsun’s mouth drops open and it looks like a man had tripped over a forgotten toy on the sidewalk. He fell into the road and in a desperate attempt to avoid hitting the pedestrian, the truck driver slammed on the breaks and jerked the wheel. 

It’s luck. Pure luck Yongsun will insist in the next hours as police escort them to the precinct.

There’s talk of separating the girls and Wheein knows the men in uniforms think shes so young, so cute, that a nice family will probably take her in. Not with Yongsun though. Her sister, who is five years older than her with a weird personality and a tendency to break things.

No family would want Wheein and Yongsun.

She can’t discern what happened to her parents but Wheein knows she wants to leave. And maybe they don’t have to go back to their house with two stories and a white picket fence but she wants to go home which is Yongsun’s hand in hers and the sound of her sister singing when it’s late at night and Wheein can’t sleep.

So, when no one is paying attention to her, Wheein stands, walks over to the room Yongsun is in. It’s luck that it’s open and she takes her sisters hand and they quietly slip out a side door. It’s luck that Yongsun finds a credit card on the road and it’s luck that the small motel is desperate enough for business that they ignore how small the two girls look when they ask for a room. 

Wheein settles into the lumpy mattress and it isn’t as comfortable as her own bed but she thinks she can make do.

Part 4: Hyejin’s Name

The first time the public makes her into a villain, Hyejin is thirteen years old. 

He’s tall and bigger and Hyejin doesn’t know what she did wrong. She’s sitting on a bench, eating fried chicken. Her dad went to go find something to drink for the both of them and with her mom being at work, Hyejin thinks she might actually have a good day.

“You should stop eating, little girl.” He sneers at her. “You could be pretty if you weren’t such a fat pig.”

And something ugly coils in Hyejin’s stomach at his words. He doesn’t continue walking either, just stands in front of her, tall and imposing and waiting for something that Hyejin doesn’t understand.

“But I’m hungry.” She tells him, wondering if it will appease the man.

“You should go hungry for a little.” The man scoffs. “You be better for it, not eating so much.”

“So would you.” Hyejin responds without thinking.

Anger shakes her small frame and she knows its unfair. He has more of a belly than she does but he stands in front of her, looking down at her and Hyejin just wants to be left alone-

Her cheek stings and the man still has his hand raised, ready to strike the child again.

“Watch your language, pig. You should respect your elders.”

Hyejin gets to her feet and there’s something burning in her chest but people are staring at her now, pure disgust written on their features and for a brief moment Hyejin thinks it’s directed at him.

But they’re looking at her.

And Hyejin snaps.

The man crumbles in on himself, wailing with emotion that Hyejin feels deep in her core. It’s pure hatred and loathing, overwhelming his mind and he clutches his head.

“Stop.” He whimpers, trembling from the onslaught of emotion. It invades his psyche and he hears voices. Not the people surrounding him and the girl, but other voices.

🔥🔥  
“You mean nothing.” His mother.

“You are nothing.” His father.

“I wish you had died instead of me.” His baby sister.  
🔥🔥

Their audience is gasping because surely the little girl is one with powers but no one can prove it. Nor can anyone discern what exactly she’s doing to him.

“Little Lion,” her father calls affectionately. “I bought your favorite-“

Hyejin’s attention shifts and the man stops shaking. Instead his eyes are blank and he just lays there. Her father looks from her to the man to the crowd. Hyejin thinks he looks afraid and wants to cry all over again because she didn’t mean to-

(on the news the next day is the story of a man’s body, found twisted at an odd angle on the street. police say it was suicide but Hyejin’s dad looks at her like she murdered him)

(and maybe she did)

(people spread rumors of the Little Lion. not a very scary villain name but nobody really believes them anyway. the man committed suicide. there’s no way a little girl convinced him to jump)

(and maybe she didn’t. but she caused it all the same)

Part 5: Wheein’s cape

“It’s a dumb superpower. No one is going to believe me and there will be no epic battle.” Wheein asserts, pouting from her place on the couch.

Yongsun had been insistent that her younger sister could make a difference in their city. Wheein didn’t have to fight the big bad villains, though Yongsun privately thinks she would win, but maybe a few of the smaller ones who wreak havoc on the poor communities when the bigger heroes get otherwise engaged.

“You’re lucky.” Yongsun reminds her. “You don’t have to fight you just have to be out there.”

Wheein groans, slouching against the couch in protest. “There are plenty of capable superheroes out there. I won’t make much of a difference. Besides luck shouldn’t even be considered a power. You don’t have powers. Maybe it’s just a lucky streak and the moment I face off against a villain, I’ll die a hideous death at your expense.”

Her older sister hits Wheein’s shoulder and throws a white cape at her. “White is a good color for you. It will contrast nicely with the deep blue of your hair.”

Before Wheein can protest further, the sisters’ attention is drawn to shouting outside their window. Racing to look out, they find a crowd of people staring at a woman. She’s dressed in something that looks eerily similar to a straight jacket. Short white shorts and plenty of thick straps adorn her body but for all the fabric present Wheein can see plenty of skin. 

She swallows deeply at the finishing touches to the woman’s look. A crown of thorns and a black mask to hide her identity. 

The people in the streets are trembling in her presence and there’s something terribly wrong about the way the people sway forward. The woman doesn’t look like she plans on doing much, simply standing there and letting the shouts of people further in the distance fill the air. A group of people come barreling into the scene shouting- lion?

But once they get within maybe two hundred meters of the woman, they stop shouting, instead their eyes glaze over and they freeze in place, captivated by her.

Wheein feels something like disappointment wash over her. More than that, she feels angry. This woman has the people spellbound and Wheein needs to do something-

She’s running outside, Yongsun hot on her heels, grabbing at her sisters arm. Wheein can’t shake her off so she yanks her along, pushing their way through the crowd, waiting for something to happen when she gets close enough.

It doesn’t.

Wheein makes it within ten feet of her before the woman gives her her attention. She looks mildly surprised but not unhappy. In fact, frighteningly enough, she doesn’t have an ounce of emotion on her face.

And though Wheein barely understands the logistics of controlling luck, she wills this woman to be unlucky for the next ten minutes. Pictures in her mind everything that could go wrong for the girl and wills it to happen. Her fingers twitch in Yongsun’s hand and she feels something powerful fill the air.

The woman frowns when the sky darkens. Rain pours down on them without warning and lightening flashes dangerously close to her-

But Wheein blinks and the woman has moved. Has dodged 🔥lightening🔥 and before Wheein can wonder how on Earth she managed that- the woman is tackling Wheein.

She lets out a soft oof at the impact as her back meets the concrete and briefly she thinks she hears Yongsun protest but-

Oh how she feels. The woman above her doesn’t hold back. Her weight settles nicely against Wheein’s hips and Wheein would flush at the picture of a beautiful woman straddling her in broad daylight if not for the sadness.

Crippling sorrow overflows Wheein’s mind and her head throbs. She wants to cry but the tears seem out of reach and all she can do is stare at this woman on top of her, overcome with grief. Wheein wants to hold her, protect her from the world because she looks so lonely and soft and beautiful. She would stay here, underneath this woman, for as long as the woman allowed her. If this was what it took for the grief to lessen in those eyes behind the mask.

Yongsun’s face fills her vision and Wheein blinks sleepily. The grief and protective instinct fades as Yongsun cradles Wheein’s face in her hands. 

“Wheein! Are you okay?” Yongsun is asking.

And no, Wheein is not okay because what the fuck was that?

Part 6: Hyejin and her voice

The only time Hyejin doesn’t feel like drowning is her night job. 

Instead of being the villain that lurks in the shadows, she tends to stick to the daylight. Heroes can’t risk civilians and the more collateral damage around the better for Hyejin. Not that any hero has ever gotten close enough to her to take her out without falling under her spell.

Anyone except-

The weird pair she had met a few weeks ago. They seemed largely unaffected by her but also ill equipped to really do anything. Sure there was a lot of rain and the lightning and when Hyejin was making her escape she had to dodge several cars, some scooters, and got chased by a ferocious dog. But her superhuman reflexes made those occurrences rather annoying instead of fatal.

It put her in a sour mood for the rest of the day, causing her to be more cautious. Heaven forbid she make an untimely death from a rogue traffic accident. Or a sign abruptly falling when she walked under it. 

The only thing that improves Hyejin’s mood is performing at the bar at night. She tends to sing only for a couple hours, but the pay is pretty good and most people tip well. Plus she gets free drinks and the bartender/owner seems to have a soft spot for her.

Byulyi nods her head to the music as Hyejin finishes her last song of the night, smiling at her friend who has the attention of the whole bar. Hyejin takes her leave with a small bow and lets the applause soothe her worries. She takes a seat on a spare barstool and Byulyi saunters over.

“Good set, as usual.” She adds, throwing her towel over a shoulder. “What’ll it be tonight?”

“Just water.” Hyejin informs her friend. “I want to take a drive tonight.”

The bartender slides a glass across the table and with another small smile, heads to take someone else’s order. Hyejin sips her water, thankful for the cool liquid. Her throat hasn’t felt great lately but she’s been told her raspy voice is rather alluring so she supposes it doesn’t affect the notes she sings. 

A woman slides onto the stool next to hers. Long, dark blue hair that falls in unnatural waves. She isn’t dressed for a bar, rather her clothes are much too baggy but Hyejin can still tell her figure it quite small.

The stranger flags down Byulyi, orders something Hyejin doesn’t really care about, and takes a long drag from the glass. She’s surveying the room carelessly before the stranger’s eyes settle on Hyejin and-

She chokes on whatever she’s drinking, eyes wild and hands nervous.

Hyejin thinks it’s cute.

(not that it matters. she needs to be going anyway)

Wordlessly, Hyejin hands the stranger a napkin and slides off her stool. With a tight smile she takes her leave and tries to ignore the feeling of being watched. 

Part 7: Wheein and her awkwardness 

It’s been three nights since she went to the bar. Two nights since she last encountered the Lion. One night since Wheein tripped over her own two feet thinking she saw the pretty woman from the bar in the street.

(it wasn’t her. just another woman with short black hair and darker skin. her hips were too slim and her nails too short.)

Yongsun has caught on to Wheein’s odd behavior but doesn’t understand it’s origin. She also knows better than to ask Wheein because Wheein hates talking about her feelings.


	4. Wheesa- Childhood Best Friends to Lovers AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I started this like ages ago and never finished it cuz I never liked the vibes. I'm currently rewriting a wheesa childhood best friends to lovers au so

i. a curious thing

Wheein’s first day of kindergarten is largely uneventful. Her school is one of those fancy catholic or Christian schools and she attends chapel at precisely two in the afternoon. The speaker preaches to them but Wheein isn’t listening, too busy reading the book she snuck in. 

Her teacher snatches the book from Wheein and scolds her. First for not paying attention during chapel and second for reading. Which is kind of absurd if Wheein thinks about it. She knows her classmates can’t read and that her ability to read wasn’t normal at her age but why would you punish a kid for being advanced?

Another student snickers from her seat somewhere behind Wheein. The girl rolls her eyes in annoyance and turns around but is unable to tell which student was laughing at her. 

It’s not like Wheein was going to make any friends this year anyway. So many of the kids were already paired off in friend groups. She was still the new kid. The one who transferred to this school in January instead of starting during August like everyone else. 

She shrinks into her seat and pretends to fit in.

ii. a first meeting

“Do you want to play kitchen?”

Wheein startles in her seat, glancing up. At first, she thought there was no way someone was speaking to her. She was sat in the corner, playing with a set of blocks during indoor recess. The girl in front of her is remarkably short for their grade. Possibly the tiniest person here. She has deep brown eyes and full, rounded cheeks and she’s looking at Wheein expectantly. 

“Sure,” Wheein says, standing up.

That’s how Wheein meets her best friend.

iii. a lonely child(hood)

Ahn Hyejin is loud and wild and everything Wheein is and isn’t. She’s not shy about what she wants or what she thinks and has no problems saying so in front of everyone. She has two younger sisters and her parents seem gone more often than not. 

Wheein is sitting on the Ahn lawn when Mrs. Ahn comes home. The woman is small, plump, and scowling. Hyejin waves to her mother excitedly, sprinting to greet her. Mrs. Ahn wraps an absent-minded arm around her daughter’s shoulders, never once looking away from the mail. She continues up the stairs to the green house and walks inside without a backward glance to Hyejin. 

This doesn’t seem to surprise Hyejin, who had cut off mid-sentence once her mom began walking away. She comes back down to sit beside Wheein and rests her head on her bent knee.

They enjoy the spring breeze and Wheein wishes there was something she could say to abate the growing loneliness in Hyejin’s eyes.

iv. when things go a little wrong

During one nap time, Wheein and Hyejin are dismissed to the bathroom at the same time. 

“Wheenie” Hyejin whispers in the bathroom stall next to hers.

“Hyejin.” She whispers back

They dissolve into giggles and wash their hands.

Before Wheein can leave the bathroom, Hyejin grabs her arm. “Wheenie I dare you to stand on the sink.”

Scrawny little Wheein could never break one of the sinks, right? She looks at the porcelain white sink, dirty and unassuming. The bathroom lights flicker from years of use without updates and Wheein shakes her head. Hyejin laughs, too loud for nap time and too heavy to be considered ladylike. Another girl walks in and looks at them both, rolling her eyes and heading into one of the open stalls. 

“Chicken,” Hyejin snickers. 

Wheein smacks her friend on the arm and makes to head for the door again. She begins to pull when she hears a noisy clamor behind her. It is not a surprise that when she turns around Hyejin is standing on the sink. Her tiny arms don’t even reach the ceiling. 

Later when Wheein looks back on it, she can’t remember how Hyejin convinced her to join her in the act of rebellion. She does remember the look on her teacher’s face (priceless) and the broken handle of the sink (pricey). 

They are both given a red card and Mr. Ahn picks up his daughter after nap time and they take a walk to the principal's office. Wheein’s mom picks her up but they don’t go to see the principal. Instead, her mom takes her home and she gets a long lecture. 

v. separation and growth

When Wheein goes to pick up her classmate and school supplies lists, she looks at her mom expectantly.

“Is Hyejin in my class again?”

Mrs. Jung smiles down at her daughter and passes her the class list and her phone. Across town, a small Hyejin who had already picked up her class list, answers the phone in her basement. 

“Wheenie?” 

“I just got my class list.” Wheein tells Hyejin. There’s a sigh and a sniffle from the other end of the line. Wheein traces her finger down the list, finding Hyejin’s name to be missing from hers. She checks the other two teachers, repeating the action until she finds Hyejin’s name in one of the teacher’s rooms. Wheein doesn’t quite know any of the first grade teachers very well but she still frowns at the name of Hyejin’s teacher. 

They don’t understand. Wheein needs Hyejin. Her best friend is the only person to actually seem interested in her. She got Wheein invited to three birthday parties last year! Kids don’t ever seem to want to be friends with Wheein. 

Hyejin is different, in every sense of the word. 

“It’s a shame we won’t be together Wheeinie.” Hyejin says when Wheein goes quiet. 

“What am I going to do without you?” Wheein asks, her voice small.

Hyejin lets out a tiny laugh. “Everyone will love you one day.” Hyejin promises. “You’ll see. If you just open up to them, I know for a fact you would be adored.”

Despite Wheein’s anxiety, her friend’s confidence brings a smile to her face. “Just don’t go finding any other best friends okay?”

“Never Wheeinie.”

vi. first grade 

Her second year of school is easily the worst thing to happen to Wheein.

For starters, class is boring. 

That’s not new. Wheein’s parents are pretty confident she can be defined as a gifted student. Which honestly? Kind of sucks because if gifted students have to put up with the amount of stupid in Wheein’s first grade class, then maybe it would be nice to lose a few braincells. 

When another kid asks the same question two other kids had already asked, Wheein just about slams her head on the desk. Later, her teacher passes by and slips Wheein a book. It looks to be maybe one or two grades above her level and Wheein immediately grins. 

The grin promptly fades when she gets to recess. 

Hyejin’s class apparently got out first. 

Except Hyejin isn’t alone. It’s been three days and she is already surrounded by a group of kids over in the hopscotch area. It’s mostly girls, all laughing at something Hyejin said. Her best friend tucks her chin over another girls shoulder and rubs one of her hands along the girl’s arms. 

Wheein shrinks back in on herself before fleeing altogether.


End file.
